1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a golf club aligning kit and, more particularly, to a mechanical alignment system used to center a golf ball that is in the field of play with the center of the club face and to center a golfer""s stance with the line from the ball to the target.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Golf requires a player to perform an extremely difficult act, over and over again, without deviation. This act is to hit a ball with a club so that the ball goes where the player wishes the ball to go.
A conventional golf club includes a shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion mounts an elongated grip which a player uses to grasp the club with one or both hands. The second end portion supports a club head which defines a club face.
Power and accuracy are two of the main goals of golf. In order to achieve these goals a golfer must make consistently good contact whenever the ball is struck. This means that the golfer must contact the ball with the club face right on the xe2x80x9csweet spot;xe2x80x9d hit the ball with a club face that is perfectly xe2x80x9csquare,xe2x80x9d that is perpendicular to the desired path of the ball (line to the target); and swing the club in such a way that impact occurs when the club head is traveling directly down the desired ball flight path.
The xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d on the face of a golf club is a small area on the club face surrounding the center of percussion of the head which most efficiently transfers energy from the club to the ball. (The center of percussion roughly coincides with the geometric center of the club head.) Striking a ball on the sweet spot of the club face provides the hardest and straightest shot for a given swing. The standard golf ball is exactly 1.68 inches (approximately 4.26 cm) in diameter. The average club face has anywhere from four to five square inches (approximately 26-33 cm2) of area. Only about one square inch (approximately 6 cm2) of that is the sweet spot.
A player must swing the club over the player""s shoulders and then down and around in a precise arc so that the tiny sweet spot on that club face will squarely smack the small golf ball sitting on the tee or in the grass. The club face is on the end of a shaft whose length varies from 32 inches (approximately 0.8 m) all the way up to 45 inches (approximately 1.1 m) or more. One of the challenges of golf is to correctly align the club face with the ball so that the sweet spot hits the ball after swinging through an arc of this size.
The lie angle of a club is the angle the shaft makes with the ground when the bottom of the club head is resting flat on the ground. An improper lie angle will cause the ball to go left or right of the target. The correct lie angle will cause the ball to fly straight to the target.
All golfers must develop a proper stance that is parallel to the club shaft, the club head and the ball. The stance must be in straight line toward the target. Most amateur golfers make the error of not properly aligning the ball to the target, thereby not obtaining the correct line to the target.
Most professional golfers aim in a consistent manner. First, they stand behind the ball and sight the target line. Then they choose a secondary aiming point about two or three feet in front of the ball, one that sits directly on the line to the target. Third, they aim the bottom edge of the club head so it is perpendicular to the line leading from the ball to the secondary aiming point.
Ashcraft U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,190 proposes a putter having a club head with an alignment figure for aligning the sweet spot of the putter with a golf ball. More specifically, Ashcraft proposes a golf putter head bearing an alignment figure defining a periphery and having two or more portions, each including sections of the periphery. Each portion is disposed on a respective surface of the golf putter head in such a manner as to indicate the degree of orientation of the putter by the degree of alignment between the portions of the alignment figure. An elongated sweet spot indicating line may be provided on either, or both, of the surfaces to indicate the sweet spot on the face of the putter head.
Duclos U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,244 proposes a golf club head having a deeply slotted portion or means simulating the same, placed toward the rear of the golf club head in alignment with the plane along which both of the golfer""s eyes should lie and the line along which it is desired to hit the ball. In the usual case, the slot is also aligned with the center of percussion of the golf club head.
Antonious U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,907,806 and 4,900,028 propose golf irons having alignment and sighting areas formed on the top ridges of the club heads. More specifically, Antonious"" club head includes a top ridge having a first portion adjacent the heel which diverges and extends upwardly and outwardly from the heel to a point where it changes direction and forms a second straight sighting section which extends substantially horizontally and perpendicularly to the intended flight line. The sighting section extends to a point positioned directly over the center of percussion of the club head. Sight lines are formed on the sighting section and extend downwardly across the ball striking face through the center of percussion. The golfer can properly align the club head with a ball by utilizing the sighting section at the uppermost portion on the club face.
Each of these proposals appears to be limited to use on clubs with specially-designed heads. They would not be readily available as a retrofit to conventional golf clubs. Another drawback to each of the foregoing proposals is that they are of limited assistance in squaring the club head with the ball and in aiming a shot at a target, such as a hole. There remains a need in the art for a golf club aligning kit for which directly assists the golfer both in aligning the club head with the ball and in aiming shots. There remains an additional need for such a kit which can be used in connection with conventional golf clubs.
These needs and others are addressed by means of a kit for preparing a golf club so as to promote the power and accuracy of shots made using the club. A preferred kit includes a tool, at least two ligatures and a marker. The preferred tool includes a base and an arm. The base defines a center line and bears index marks for indicating distance from the center line. The arm is secured pivotally to the base along the center line.
A preferred method for using the kit includes the steps of positioning the club head near the base; centering the club head relative to the center line of the base; binding the club head to the base with one or more of the ligatures; pivoting the arm to an orientation proximate the shaft; binding the shaft to the arm using an additional one or more of the ligatures; marking the grip with a first alignment mark substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the arm, and marking the club head with a second alignment mark proximate the center line. A preferred method by which a golfer may use a golf club so marked to address a golf ball comprises the steps of positioning the second alignment mark proximate a center of the golf ball facing the target; pivoting the golf club until the first alignment mark is aligned over the center of the golf ball while keeping the second alignment mark proximate the center of the golf ball, aiming the first alignment mark toward the target; moving to a standing position such that the golfer""s feet are parallel to the first alignment mark; and centering the second alignment mark with the center of the golf ball. Once the golfer has addressed the ball, the golfer may swing with confidence that, given a proper swing, the power and accuracy of the golfer""s shot will likely improve.
Thus, a preferred golf club in accordance with the invention includes a first alignment mark and a second alignment mark. An especially preferred first alignment mark comprises a line on a top surface of a grip of the golf club extending in a direction transverse (most preferably, substantially normal) to the club face. An especially preferred second alignment mark comprises a line extending through the center of the club face in a direction transverse (most preferably, substantially perpendicular) to the length of the club head. Other suitable forms of alignment marking will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the objects and features set forth below.
When the preferred method for addressing a golf ball is used, the first alignment mark is on the same target line as the line of the club face. The first alignment mark allows the golfer to check that his stance is parallel to the line of the club face by laying the shaft against the golfer""s belt and comparing the golfer""s stance to the direction of the first alignment mark. Likewise, the combination of the first and second alignment marks allows the golfer to check that the lie angle is proper.
Therefore, it is one object of the invention to provide a golf club alignment kit and a method of use which allows a golfer to properly align the sweet spot of the club head with the ball; to properly square the club face with the ball; and to properly align the golfer""s stance with the line from the ball to the target. The invention will be further described in conjunction with the appended drawings and following detailed description.